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Andy Murray is looking to add an Australian Open title to his US Open and Wimbledon wins. Credit: Reuters/Brandon Malone

Andy Murray's bid for a third Grand Slam title remains on track after he reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a hard-fought victory over the tournament's "lucky loser" Stephane Robert.

The British tennis star dropped his first set of the tournament but recovered to claim the fourth-round match 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-2 to end the 33-year-old Frenchman's surprise winning run.

The world number 119 had been elevated into the men's draw at the 11th hour thanks to an injury to the man he lost to in qualifying and overcame three opponents.

Murray, who has reached the Australian Open final three times in the last four years but is yet to win the hard court slam, can expect an even tougher test in the final eight in Melbourne.

The fourth-seeded Scot will face the winner of the fourth-round match between sixth seed Roger Federer and 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

British doubles player Ross Hutchins has won his first tour match since his remarkable comeback from cancer.

Twelve months ago the 28-year-old Londoner was beginning six months of chemotherapy to get rid of the Hodgkin's lymphoma that had invaded his body.

Hutchins had to build up his fitness from nothing after being told he was in remission in July but on a baking hot Melbourne afternoon he and Scot Colin Fleming beat Marinko Matosevic and Michal Przysiezny 4-6 6-4 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open.

"I think we did well to dig out a win today," he said. "It was actually brilliant to be honest, and I'm loving the feeling right now.

"This is a fantastic tournament, and I'm just thrilled to be back involved and back able to hopefully try to win more matches."